[USML Announce] New Rule Proposal

[MBBlocker at aol.com]

Gang:

  Contained below is a new rule proposal, which is in fact a revival of a 
proposal that Andy Klein had made and then withdrawn.  I understand that Andy 
fully supports the revival of this proposal as an alternative to either the 
"skinny FAAB" proposal" or the "Ebay bidding" proposal.  

  The proposal is to prohibit players acquired with FAAB dollars as asterisk 
players.  To me, this seems like the simplest proposal for dealing with the 
problem of creating asterisk players to use in trades.  The only purported 
"imperfection" in this proposal is that there may be some limited instances of 
players who would otherwise legitimately be asterisk players.  For example, if a 
star player is traded from the NL, he might net a final bidding price of $25, 
but would not be an asterisk player and therefore could be traded.  In general, 
though, the number of instances in which this occurs would be limited, and 
its impact is lessened by the fact that we have a salary cap in place.

  I do not prefer the skinny FAAB proposal (which, as many have pointed out, 
I originally proposed last year) because it creates problems for teams near 
the salary floor.  I do not prefer the EBay bidding proposal because, while it 
will work in avoiding creation of unwarranted asterisk players, it 
unnecessarily reduces the salaries of other players acquired through FAAB.  For example, 
suppose I really need a second baseman, and bid $15 on that player out of 
concern that others may want that player.  If I was the only one voting, my bid 
would be reduced to $5, even though the open market price is really $15.  I don't 
prefer that outcome.

  Anyway, here is my proposal:

Rule Proposal:  Players acquired by FAAB shall not be treated as asterisk 
players in the year that they are acquired.
 
  
Proposed revisions to USML Constitution
 
 
Section 12.12 shall be revised to read as follows (underscored text added):
 
An "Asterisk Player" is any player who is (a) in the final year of his 
contract or (b) who has a salary of at least $25 and was not acquired pursuant to 
section 14.3 during the course of the present season.


 -- Mark B.

 
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